William t



W. T. MERZENICH. PBlMEB FOR INTERNAL comausnou memes.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. h 1916.

Patented May 13, 1919.

nnirnn STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM '1. MERZENICH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, .MIfhINESOTA, ASSIGNOR TQ GEORGE M. WATTERS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

PRIMER non inrrniannn ooivinnsrion ENGINES.

Application filed December 1, 1916 Serial 134,312.

To ail'whom, it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. Minimmen, a citizen of the United States, residing My inventionhas for its object to provide an extremely simple and highly efficient primer for internal combustion. engines,

and, to this end, it consists of thenovel devices and combinations of devices herelnafter described and defined n the clalms.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters inclicate like carts throughout the several views.

Referrmg to the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile having the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the reservoir of the primer removed from the instrumentboard;

. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the irregular line 4L4 of Fig. 3.

The automobile illustrated, for the purpose of showing the invention applied in working position, is of the well known Ford type and it is only necessary to note the following parts thereof, towit:running gear 5, body 6, front seat 7, instrument-board 8, wind shield 9, internal combustion engine 10, fuel intake manifold 11, carburetor 12, gasolene supply tank 13 located under the seat 7, and gravity fuel feed pipe 14:, which leads from the tank 13 to the carburetor 12. It is, of course, understood that the improved rimer may be applied to any other make 0 automobile.

Referring now to the improved primer, the numeral 15 indicates an annular casing secured to the instrument-board 8 and affording a gasolene reservoir 16. This casing 15 has a transparent face plate 17 of glass. through which the gasolene supply in the reservoir 16 may be observed. An annular retaining ring 18 secured to the casing 15 by screws 19, holds the face plate 17 in 16 is indicated at .J.

Specification of Letters-Patent. Patented Bitty 13, 1919.

position with a gasolene-tight joint therebet-Ween. In the back of the casing 15, is formed a vertical] y disposed conduit 20 hai ing, at its extremities, upper and lower horiyoiitally disposed branch conduits 21 and 22,

respectively. Diametrically oppositeports 23 and 2 1 connect thebranch condu ts 21 and 22, respectlvely, with the reservoir 16.

Needlevalves 25 and 26 are provided for independently controlling the branch conduits'2l and 22, with respect to its ports 23 and 24. These needle valves 25 and 26 are screwedffrom the face of the casing l5,into

seats formed therein and which are axially alined with the respective branch conduits 21 and 22. The gasolene 1n the reservolr The lower end of a pipe 27 taps the feed supply pipe 14 close to the carbureter 12 and its upper end is screwed into a boss on the back of the casing 15 and has communication with the reservoir 16, at the top thereof, through a conduit 28 formed in said casing. The upper end of a pipe 29 is screwed into a boss on the back of the casing 15 in axial alinement with the branch'conduit 22 and has communication with the conduit 20 and branch conduit 22. The lower end of the pipe 29 is arranged to discharge into the fuel intake manifold 11, close to the arms thereof. It is important to note that the reservoir 16 is located on the instrumentboard 8 at an elevation considerably above the fuel intake manifold 11, so that thegasolene in said reservoir will feed by gravity said fuel intake manifold.

The operation of the improved primer may be briefly described as follows By opening the valve 25, while the engine is running, a partial vacuum is created in the reservoir 16, under the suction stroke of the engine, through the port 23, branch conduit 21, conduit 20, pipe 29 and intake manifold 11. This partial vacuum in. the reservoir 16 will draw gasolene from the tank 13 into the reservoir 16, through the pipes 14 and 27 and conduit 28. When the reservoir 16 is full of gasolene, which may be observed through the trzfnsparent face 17 of the casing 15, the valve 25 may be closed. In starting the engine, the valve 26 is opened sulficiently to allow a small amount of gasolene to be fed by gravity through the port 24, branch conduit 22, pipe 29 and into the fuel intake manifold 11; from thence, it will be drawn into the cylinders of the engine, under the suction stroke of the engine.

In easethe' reservoir 16 is empty, when the engine is to be started, it will take sew eral strokes of the engine to draw a supply of gasolene into the reservoir, before the same can be fed to the fuel intake manifold. I

Primarily the improved primer is for use in starting internal combustion engines in cold weather, but it is, of course, understood that the same may be used at any other time, in case it is hard to start the engine; for instance, when the spark is weak and a richer fuel mixture is desired. The word gasolene is herein used in a broad sense to cover any suitable liquid fuel.

The above described invention, while ex tremely simple and of small cost to manufacture, has, in actual usage, proven highly eflicient for the purpose had in view.

What I claim is 1. A primer for internal combustion engines including a reservoir, a fuel supply conduit leading to the reservoir from a suitable source of supply, a fuel feed conduit having at its receiving end two branch conduits opening into the reservoir, the one above the liquid level and the other below the same, the latter of said branch conduits and the fuel feed conduit arranged to permit a gravity feed to the intake of the engine, and two valves for independently closing said two branch conduits.

2. A primer for internal combustion engines including a reservoir, a constantly open fuel supply conduit leading to the res ervoir above the liquid level from a suitable source of supply, a fuel feed conduit having at its receiving end two branch conduits opening into the reservoir, the one above the liquid level and the other below the same, the latter of said branch conduits and the fuel feed conduit arranged to permit a gravity feed to the intake of the engine, and two valves for independently closing said two branch conduits.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. MERZENICH.

Witnesses EVA E. Kome, HARRY D. KrLGoRE.

' rco piesvof this patent may be obtained fer five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

